Insight
by Ambika-san Xellas
Summary: Slash Chi x Tas, Co-written by Ambika-san and Xellas. Chapter 10: Tasuki POV posted 5-10-04. Thanks are in order...
1. Default Chapter

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Warnings:  Slash.  Sap.  Lots and lots and lots of Sap.  Please let this warning serve for the entire fic.

Disclaimer:  The standard they're not mine but I'm making no money kind of thing.  Ya know, something tells me there's no legal merit in any of these…but I suppose it's the thought that counts.  Please let this disclaimer serve for  the entire fic.

AN:  This story will alternate chapters.  I am writing Chichiri's POV and Mikazuki is writing Tasuki's.  Should be a lot of fun!

Insight 

by Xellas M.

Chichiri was never happier than when he was traveling.  Simply being on the way to somewhere was always exciting.  The farther he ventured, the more possibilities seemed to wait always just ahead of him, new people to meet, experiences to be savored.  Anything could happen.  When Tasuki came along, as he had this time, it usually did.

This particular day seemed to be made just for wandering.  It was late morning, warm but not terribly so.  Sunshine poured down from a perfectly cloudless sky, brightening the rich green and golden tones of the fields through which they walked almost painfully.  The soft, muted jingling of his staff against the road was their only contribution to the peaceful sounds made by the birds and small animals as they went about their daily business.  Well, almost the only contribution.  Tasuki was not known for his appreciation of peaceful silence.

"Chichiri?"  The fire seishi asked, as though prompted.  His normally loud voice was quieter than usual, possibly swallowed up in the vastness of the sky above them.

A strange tingling passed through the older man's body at the sound of his name on the other's lips.  That had been happening a lot lately.  Chichiri wasn't sure of the cause, but for some reason the feeling reminded him of Tamahome and Miaka.   

The monk smiled at his companion.  He had taken off his mask earlier to enjoy the feel of the warm sun on his skin and was glad he had done so when the redhead returned his smile with one equally sincere, if unusually shy.  

"Today's really perfect, ne, Chichiri?"  

It was a simple statement of contentment, but the tremors within the older man intensified as though he had been confronted with something unbelievably profound.  The monk recognized that there was a deeper truth in Tasuki's words.  They resonated within the core of the mage's being, every word spoken of vital importance, beginning with the present and ending with his name.  There seemed to be a hidden subtext in his friend's voice, filled with bittersweet happiness and longing.

Chichiri shook his head, bemused at the thought.  His quick mind set it all down to wishful thinking and attempted to move on.  However, the peace of their surroundings had given the monk a clarity of thought that was often lacking in his own emotional insight and his preoccupation refused to be cast aside so lightly.  Wishful thinking?  What, exactly, was he wishing for?  

Even as he directly confronted the question within himself for the first time, he knew the answer.  Unwilling or unable to believe, he looked to Tasuki for confirmation.

It was as if he was seeing his fellow seishi for the first time.  Never before had he truly noticed the way the texture of the bandit's tanned skin contrasted so sharply with that of his full, soft-looking lips.  Or how perfectly the sharp angle of his narrow jaw curved along the line of his neck.  Or how, if you looked *really* closely, you could see the nearly invisible dusting of childhood freckles along the bridge of his nose.

Chichiri's heart exploded within his chest.  He stopped walking, unable to do anything other than stare in admiration at the intricate combination of strength and sensitivity that was his best friend.  He finally understood what Tasuki truly was to him.

The redhead stopped when Chichiri did.  It was obvious that the bandit was less than comfortable under the full weight of the monk's gaze.  He held his ground, however, folding his arms in front of himself protectively.  

Eventually, true to his nature, the bandit broke the silence.  "What?  Do I have somethin' on my face?"

The mage had almost completely lost himself in Tasuki, but managed to pull himself together.  

"Yes, no da."  His words were soft, and spoken somewhat seriously.  He took a couple steps forward, close enough to touch his friend.  The younger man's breath hitched slightly, though he still did not move away.  The monk could feel his cheeks heating as he lifted his hand and brushed it gently over the redhead's nose.  

"Freckles."  Chichiri finished softly, letting his arm drop back to his side.

Tasuki's cheeks flushed darkly and he muttered, vaguely damning the freckles in question each to its own private hell.  He turned abruptly and continued walking.

The monk smiled as he followed his friend.  The sky and the earth seemed even more beautiful than they had before, life more sweet than he could ever remember.  His thoughts were measured by the cadence of his staff upon the road, a litany repeating over and over, coming from his heart.  It was simple and could never be forgotten, but was bigger than the sky, too much to comprehend all at once:  

He was in love.

* * * * *

~Owari


	2. Chapter 2

Insight

Tasuki POV

Chapter 2

by Mikazuki

Tasuki was disgruntled. Walking slightly ahead of Chichiri, he rubbed a hand over his nose as though trying to wipe off the freckles the older man had mentioned earlier. He pulled his hand away from his face and studied it, half expecting to see the offending blemishes resting in his palm.   
  


  
It wasn't about the freckles.   
  


  
In spite of the vigorous chafing he'd just given his nose, he could still feel Chichiri's touch. And that bothered him. Remembering Chichiri's gentle fingers brought back the tight feeling in his chest that had been plaguing him lately whenever the monk was nearby.   
  


  
He shook his head slightly and turned to face his companion, hoping that the blush he could still almost feel on his cheeks was invisible.   
  


  
"Ne, Chichiri, I don't s'pose there's a town around here, is there?"   
  


  
We haven't been walking that long, no da..." Chichiri had the same half-amused, half-annoyed look he always wore when Tasuki complained about walking. "It's still morning, no da."   
  


  
Tasuki gave an exaggerated sigh.   
  


  
Chichiri shook his head. "You'd think that a mountain bandit wouldn't mind walking so much, no da. And you yourself said that today was perfect."   
  


  
"It ain't that I mind walkin', Chichiri, but that's all we've bin doin' fer days..." Tasuki was quiet for a moment, then tilted his head to one side. "Where're we goin', anyway?"   
  


  
Chichiri put his mask on. It flashed a cheerful smile at Tasuki. "Wherever we end up, no da!"   
  


  
Tasuki sighed again, this time resignedly. "C'n we at least 'end up' somewhere with sake?"   
  


  
"Is getting drunk all you think about, no da?"   
  


  
Tasuki put on an offended look. "A' course not!" He paused, a grin creeping onto his face. "I think about gettin' laid, too..."   
  


  
Tasuki didn't know what Chichiri's expression looked like under his mask, but he was willing to bet that his friend was either smiling or blushing. Possibly both.   
  


  
"Seriously, though. It does take thought ta plan a raid, y'know."   
  


  
"I know. I was just kidding, no da. I know you think...occasionally..." Chichiri had laughter in his voice, but it was kind laughter. Tasuki knew that he was still teasing, but even so, he was not one to take insults lightly.   
  


  
He managed to growl a little, but was unable to keep a grin off his face. "Why, you..." With that, he pounced playfully on the monk.   
  


  
Chichiri was still laughing as Tasuki struck, and he continued to chuckle as Tasuki's momentum sent them sprawling into the tall grass by the side of the road. Chichiri didn't struggle, and within a few moments, Tasuki had him pinned to the ground and was staring him in the face.   
  


  
Or, rather, in the mask. Chichiri was still wearing the covering. For some reason, this bothered Tasuki a great deal. Reaching down, he quickly found its edge, and with a deft twist of his fingers, removed it, never noticing the way Chichiri tensed and stopped laughing when Tasuki's fingers brushed his temple.   
  


  
Smiling, Tasuki set the mask aside and looked back at Chichiri. The expression on his face was one of surprise, and unless Tasuki was mistaken, Chichiri was blushing slightly.   
  


  
All of a sudden, Tasuki realized what an awkward situation they were in. Still, he couldn't move, though he knew he should. Staring at Chichiri like that was causing him to feel nervous and fluttery. They weren't feelings Tasuki was accustomed to, and he wasn't sure how to take them. All he knew was that looking Chichiri in the eye like this was making him want to...   
  


  
....To kiss him?! To Tasuki's shock, he realized that he was leaning downward a little...   
  


  
Jerking out of the half-trance he'd been in, Tasuki rolled off of Chichiri, apologizing profusely as he helped Chichiri up.   
  


  
Chichiri looked somewhat shaken. "Th...That's all right, no da..."He picked up his mask and returned it to his face. As he watched him, Tasuki noticed that Chichiri's hands seemed to be trembling. Biting his lip, Tasuki hoped that he hadn't caused his friend's obvious distress.   
  


  
But what else could it be?   
  


  
As the minutes ticked away silently, Tasuki studied the air around him, half-expecting the tension to be visible.   
  


  
When he saw nothing, Tasuki's gaze strayed to the man walking a few paces ahead of him.   
  


  
' How could I be so stupid?' He wondered. ' I can't believe I actually tackled Chichiri.'   
  


  
Chichiri was walking at a steady pace. Every so often, he would look back to see if Tasuki was still behind him. His mask was smiling, as always, but he didn't say anything.   
  


  
"Chichiri?"   
  


  
"Hm?"   
  


  
"Are ya mad at me?"   
  


  
"Of course not, no da." Chichiri's voice matched the smile Tasuki was now getting from his mask.   
  


  
"Take yer mask off an' tell me that."

Chichiri stopped walking and turned to face Tasuki completely. He reached up and pulled the mask off. There was a serious look in his mahogany eye as he regarded the bandit before him.   
  


  
"I am not angry with you, Tasuki, no da."   
  


  
Tasuki smiled with relief. "Well, good, 'cause yer stuck with me fer a while."   
  


  
Chichiri smiled back.   
  


  
'I like it when Chichiri smiles for real.' Tasuki thought happily. 'He's beautiful when—wait a minute...' Tasuki blinked. ' Where the hell did that come from? First I tackle him, then I almost kiss him, and now I think he's beautiful?   
  


  
' What in Suzaku's name is wrong with me?'


	3. Chapter 3

Insight 

Chapter 3

Chichiri's POV

by Xellas M.

Nothing would ever erase the memory of being tackled by Tasuki, pinned down, and so nearly kissed.  Because that was what had almost happened, Chichiri knew it.  

Although the bandit's tone had bordered on aggressive, as he demanded reassurance afterward, he had seemed so lost.  The monk assumed a control he barely held as he stilled his own trembling to try to calm his friend.  It almost worked.  The frightened and slightly wild look on the fire seishi's face was replaced by a radiant and open smile that the monk couldn't help but return.

Chichiri knew his maskless face had given away too much when the joy in Tasuki's expression was again replaced by guilt and confusion.  The monk's own smile disappeared.

Minutes later, Chichiri realized with a start that they were still staring at each other in silence.  Nervously, he leapt in to fill the gap.

"Tell you what, Tasuki no da.  We have been walking for a long time, no da.  Just up ahead there's a nice spot.  Let's camp early and relax, no da!"

The bandit's enthusiasm was forced as he replied, a bit too loudly, "I must've knocked some sense inta ya then – you're on and don't ya dare try backing out!"  Again, it was Tasuki that led the way, turning back to the path and setting an unusually fast pace.  

Chichiri rolled his eyes, even though he couldn't help smiling at the rapidity with which his friend had leapt to seize both the suggestion that they relax and the opportunity to cut through even a tiny portion of the thick tension in which they had been trapped.  

He followed, quickly catching up with the redhead, their strides naturally settling to compliment each other.  It was just like always but nothing was the same.  From the moment he had felt Tasuki's warm breath on his face, the things that had brought him so much pleasure earlier had completely ceased to matter.  The weather, the birds, and even the sunshine were just a two-dimensional backdrop.  Only himself, the man he loved, and the path they were traveling together held any real importance.  

Lost in his thoughts, he began lifting his mask back to his face when another piece of the puzzle snapped into place, arresting the movement.  

His gaze flickered to his side where Tasuki walked, head down and absently rubbing his chest as though in pain.  The monk looked back to the slip of paper smiling up at him and paused.  It had suddenly occurred to him that the bandit had removed it twice that day, once by request and once with a surprisingly gentle touch.  Could it be that the bandit preferred him to go without, scar and all?

There was just the briefest temptation to put it back on, to pretend nothing had happened and to gently dissuade Tasuki from any further gestures of that nature.  To try to keep their friendship just as it was: unchanged, comfortable.  The thought was quickly banished.  The eyeless slits of his mask were the ultimate reminder that all life was change and that becoming too attached to the way things were inevitably brought suffering.  And if he were wrong, if this was all a product of an overactive imagination and Tasuki did not or could not love him, then later he would cry.  For now, he would allow himself to be truly alive.

He placed the mask in his small bag, firmly resolving not to wear it again until they came to a city.  

It was the first action he had ever purposely taken in the hopes of both attracting and pleasing Tasuki.  He heard his friend breathe sharply and looked over to see the redhead staring a little too obviously at the road, his face burning with a blush that said more than any words could have just how accurate Chichiri's guess had been.

The idea that he could have such an effect on the beautiful young man made the monk feel so light as to be almost giddy.  The sensation actually reminded him quite a bit of the time Tasuki had, under the guise of honoring their lost friends, tricked him into drinking a few too many of something he called a 'Nuriko Special'. 

The memory gave him a wicked idea.  He had no idea how far Tasuki's attraction went, but was determined to find out.  A cunning plan began to form within the deep recesses of the monk's logical mind.

They were apparently moving much faster than the well seishi had realized, because when he looked around again he found that they had nearly reached their campsite.  The redhead must have been truly shaken; not only had he been the one to set the pace, but he hadn't complained once since they had resumed their journey.  Chichiri melted.  He wanted more than anything to take Tasuki in his arms, hold him, and tell him everything was alright.  If he was even half as frightened as the mage suspected, however, that option could prove painful.

"Tasuki-kun."  The monk called out softly.

The bandit in question did not hear him, apparently preoccupied with a fluff of pollen that had the audacity to land on his dark coat.

"Tasuki-kun, no da!"  Chichiri repeated, more loudly.  

Still no reaction.  At this rate, the seishi would be back at the palace before the bandit became aware of his surroundings.  

The monk reached out gently.  At first he only thought to grasp the redhead's arm, but the bandit had simultaneously chosen that exact moment to turn and finally acknowledge his friend's presence.  Still, although it trembled slightly, Chichiri's hand did not falter, landing instead on the soft fabric of Tasuki's coat, directly above his heart.  There was barely time to register its furious beating before the fire seishi backed away.

"Wh-what the fuck?  I heard ya, dammit!"  Despite the exclamation, it wasn't anger that darkened the young man's tanned skin.

"We're here, no da."  Chichiri shrugged, knowing full well that without the mask his friend would see the smile that kept trying to sneak its way onto his face.  He couldn't help it; new possibilities seemed to come alive with every blush and stammer, every sign that their lives were truly linked together.

Tasuki blinked and looked at their surroundings.  The monk watched as his friend registered what definitely was a perfect campsite.  A gentle stream flowed nearby, crystal water flowing over rocks worn smooth through the passage of time.  Ancient trees grew along its banks, dominated by a particularly graceful willow tree that seemed to be made for sleeping under.  There were abundant signs of rabbits and the like; occasionally, when the wing seishi grew tired of fish, he amused himself by using his gift of speed to run down something a little different.

"Not too bad, but it's still outside.  An' I'm guessin' that stream ain't made of sake."  The young man commented, playfully pretending to be unimpressed.

The monk smiled, mischief alight in his single eye.  "Funny you should mention that.  If you don't mind setting up, I have an errand I'd like to run, no da."  Chichiri didn't give his friend a chance to reply, setting his kasa on his head and disappearing.

* * * * *

It took a little longer than the monk had hoped, but finally the owner of The Bullfeathers Inn of Konan's capital agreed to part with a quantity of his precious sake.  It was Tasuki's favorite, renowned throughout the kingdom, but the innkeeper had made it a point of honor -and good business- not to allow any to leave his establishment.  Fortunately for the monk, it was difficult for anyone to refuse a personal favor to one of the last of Suzaku's seishi and eventually the monk was able to return to his friend with several bottles of the precious substance carefully packed away.

He returned to his kasa, stifling a small amount of disappointment that the fire seishi hadn't chosen to wear the hat this time.  It would have made for a very happy landing.

"Back, no da!!!"  Chichiri announced happily.  

"What the hell was all that about?  Dammit, I had ta set everything up all by myself – "

The mage did not say a word, simply held up a bottle of sake.

"And I hope you know you're cooking dinner now and – HELL YES!!!!"  The bandit's tirade ended in a joyful shout.  Automatically he ran to embrace the blue-haired man, but stopped himself just shy of tackling his friend again.  Instead, he reached for the bottle.

"How rude, no da!"  Chichiri teased, snatching the prize away from Tasuki's questing fingers.

The bandit growled.  Not a playful growl, but one that meant business.  It would even have been a little frightening if it hadn't been so cute.  Glaring at the older man, he again attempted to take the wine.

Chichiri took a full step back.  "No way, no da.  Not until you say 'please', na no da."  He mock scowled at the fire seishi as he protectively cradled the bottle to his chest.

Quick as an eyeblink, Tasuki was practically on top of him.  Barely an inch of space was left between their standing bodies.  

"An' what are ya gonna do ta stop me if I don't?"  The redhead challenged.  

The monk looked into his friend's eyes and lost his ability to breathe, let alone speak.  Golden irises were burning with unmistakable desire even as a deep flush began working its way from the fire seishi's face to his neck.  Chichiri watched and waited.  It seemed that any second now Tasuki would lower his head the tiny bit it would take to bring their lips together.

Instead, Tasuki lowered his eyes as he took the bottle from Chichiri with a trembling hand.  The mage offered no resistance; he had entirely forgotten the liquor existed.  The bandit did not stop to gloat over his victory.  He immediately opened the bottle and took a very long drink.

"Maybe now it won't be sake that's on your mind."  The mage murmured quietly.

* * * * *

~ End Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

Insight

Tasuki POV

Chapter 4

By Mikazuki

There wasn't really that much to be done. All Tasuki had to do was set out the bedrolls he'd made Chichiri bring along on this trip. A fire wouldn't be necessary until they needed to cook, and Chichiri would be back by then...wouldn't he? Tasuki didn't mind the work, but the casual way the monk had left him to do it annoyed him.   
  
"An errand he wants ta run..." Tasuki muttered. "Great. Just fuckin' great." He stalked off into the woods nearby to look for dinner. It wasn't that he was sick of fish...all right, he was definitely sick of fish, but he also needed something to occupy his time until Chichiri got back. Unfortunately, with his speed, it didn't take him long to catch a plump young rabbit. He held it firmly as it struggled, raising it to eye level. "I'm real sorry about this, but y'know, I don't feel like fish t'night." he told the terrified creature before quickly snapping its neck. After making sure that it was dead, Tasuki tied its body to his belt so that he could carry it more easily.   
  
Before boredom could set in, Tasuki set about collecting wood for the fire, taking the dead rabbit with him so that no hungry scavengers could steal it. He didn't particularly want to have to kill another one... He decided that he might as well start the fire, since he had no idea when Chichiri was going to be back. Which was another annoying thing...   
  
Tasuki fumed as he arranged the firewood. "Didn' even tell me where he was goin'...doesn' think that I might, just maybe, be worried about 'im..." Having successfully placed the logs, Tasuki unsheathed his tessen. With a sweep of his arm and a cry of "Rekka Shin'en!" he had the fire burning nicely. Sighing, he plunked himself down beside the flames, the rabbit next to him. For the first time in his life, he was sorry that his tessen made it possible for him to forego kindling. Collecting more wood and lighting a fire the traditional way would have kept him busy longer.   
  
Eyeing the kasa on the ground beside him, Tasuki silently vowed that Chichiri would know how aggravating his little "errand" was.   
  
  
*****   
  
"Back, no da!" Chichiri stepped out of the hat that Tasuki had been trying to glare holes in.   
  
'Finally...' Tasuki thought. "What the hell was that all about? Dammit, I had to set everything up by myself..." As soon as he's said it, Tasuki regretted using that as a reason for his anger. Chichiri knew how little work was involved in setting up. Blushing slightly, Tasuki continued with his rant. "And I hope you know that you're cooking dinner now, and--" At that exact moment, he noticed what Chichiri was holding, and everything was forgiven.   
  
"HELL YEAH!" Tasuki ran towards Chichiri, stopping just short of tackling the mage for a second time. Reaching out, he attempted to take the sake from his friend.   
  
"How, rude, no da!"   
  
Tasuki growled angrily as Chichiri pulled the bottle out of his reach. He turned the glare he'd used earlier on Chichiri's kasa onto the monk himself as he reached for the sake again. Chichiri stepped backwards, frowning playfully.   
  
"No way, no da. Not until you say please, na no da."   
  
Well, two could play at that game...before Chichiri could blink, Tasuki had closed all of the distance between them.   
  
Leaning in just a little to look Chichiri in the eye, the bandit asked, "And what're ya gonna do ta stop me if I don't?"   
  
With some surprise, Tasuki noted the effect this had on his friend. Chichiri's cheeks were bright red, and his single mahogany eye was wide. And unless Tasuki was much mistaken, he was trembling slightly. 'Beautiful...' Tasuki thought, and promptly blushed. _Why_ was he thinking this way?   
  
Trying to ignore the flush he could feel working its way down his neck, Tasuki broke eye contact and took the wine from Chichiri, his own hand shaking a little.   
  
Tasuki stepped away from Chichiri, his heart racing. He uncorked the bottle and took a long drink, hoping that the liquor would help him forget his confusion.   
  
He didn't see the small smile that crossed Chichiri's face at his actions.   
  
Sighing, Tasuki sat down next to the campfire, though he was flushed and already quite warm.   
  
Chichiri watched him for a moment, and then sat down next to his friend. Tasuki stiffened slightly, and then relaxed. It wasn't as though Chichiri was going to do anything to him. They'd sat by a fire like this many times before. Why did it feel so different now?   
  
Tasuki took another sip of sake and stared at the flames before him. Chichiri didn't say anything. It didn't really matter; his very presence was adding to Tasuki's confusion by the minute.   
  
Silence reigned. Tasuki didn't like it. He'd never had trouble talking to Chichiri before. He knew that whatever he needed to say, the monk would listen to him with an understanding smile. Yet, somehow, Tasuki couldn't think of a single thing to talk about.   
  
"You said I was cooking, ne?" Chichiri said, finally. He picked up the rabbit. "I assume this is dinner, no da."   
  
Tasuki looked up, realizing that the sky was growing dusky. He wondered when that had happened. "Yeah, that's it," he said, smiling a little. "I'll help ya, if ya want..."   
  
Chichiri grinned and shook his head. "No, it's only fair, no da. You set up, so I'll cook." He set the rabbit on a flat rock across the fire from Tasuki. "...Can I use your knife, no da?"   
  
"Sure." Tasuki passed him the small dagger he carried with him. It was better than his tessen in hand-to-hand fights. And it was good for skinning rabbits.   
  
Chichiri paused for a moment, holding the knife. He closed his eye and his lips moved silently for a few seconds. Tasuki knew that he, too, was apologizing to the rabbit, wherever its spirit might be. Tasuki looked away before he could have any more strange thoughts about his friend. He took a sip from the bottle he still held. When he looked back, Chichiri's eyes were open and he was methodically cleaning and skinning he rabbit. As though he' felt Tasuki's eyes on him, Chichiri looked up and gave him a brief smile before returning to his work.   
  
Tasuki continued to watch him, his sake forgotten. Thoughts fluttered, half-formed and contradictory, though his distracted mind.   
  
'He's perfect...'   
  
'What the hell?! I mean, he is--but I don't think about him that way, he's my best friend! Hell, he's practically my brother--Why am I babbling, and why don't I sound more convincing?'   
  
Tasuki shook his head. 'I'm not attracted to Chichiri, dammit...' Looking down, his eyes fell on the bottle of sake still held loosely in his right hand. He smiled in relief. 'This is just something to do with the sake I've had. That's all.'   
  
'But I haven't had that much sake, and anyway, this started before I had any alcohol...'   
  
Chichiri stood up, startling Tasuki out of his thoughts. He had the skinned and cleaned rabbit in one hand and three long sticks in the other. Setting these things down, he returned to the rock and picked up Tasuki's dagger, which he carefully wiped clean. He handed it back to Tasuki.   
  
"Here, no da."   
  
"Thanks." Tasuki took back the dagger, sliding it into its sheath.   
  
In a few minutes, Chichiri was seated beside the fire, turning the meat on a makeshift spit.   
  
Tasuki studied the patterns the firelight made on Chichiri's face. His features were thrown into sharp relief by the glow, giving him a thoughtful expression. Tasuki wondered what he was thinking about. A part of him hoped that Chichiri was thinking about him. A small part, but not so small that Tasuki didn't notice.   
  
He cursed silently. 'All right, so I am attracted to him. Nothing wrong with that. I already knew that I liked guys.'   
  
He looked over at Chichiri, who was watching the meat, his expression unreadable.   
  
'But, dammit, this is Chichiri...Besides the fact that I'm his best friend, he's out of my league. Waaaay out.' Tasuki sighed. 'He'd never think of me that way.'   
  
'At least I figured this out before it became anything more than attraction...' he thought. 'If I actually fell in love with him, I'd definitely end up with a broken heart. But it'll be easy to stop this, since it's just physical.'   
  
Tasuki did his best to ignore the twinge in his heart that was telling him something different.   
  
  
  
---To be continued   
  



	5. Chapter 5

Insight 

Chichiri POV

Chapter 5

by Xellas M.

Whoever heard of a mountain bandit not getting drunk on free sake?  And for all the times the monk had wished his friend would stop complaining and be quiet, why did he have to pick now to actually do so?  The monk's inner monologue was a series of minor gripes and grumbles as he cooked their dinner.  Had he stopped to think about it, he would have realized that his mental voice had taken on the tone of a certain young redhead, the very one he was surreptitiously watching as he cooked.

Tasuki sat sullenly near their fire, apparently thinking unpleasant thoughts and only occasionally stopping to take a drink.  It wasn't until shortly before the meal was done that the bandit's face finally relaxed somewhat.  He was still uncharacteristically quiet, but the mage was relieved to note that the rest of the sake was consumed much more quickly.  

Smirking, Chichiri grabbed another bottle and approached the distracted bandit silently.  As soon as he was close enough, he reached out and poked the space between Tasuki's eyebrows, laughing when the bandit jumped in surprise.

"Still thinking, Tasuki-kun no da?  You know that can cause wrinkles, na no da."  

"That must be why ya look so young then, ne?"  Tasuki retorted, his face slightly flushed, probably due to the alcohol.  "Don't suppose ya brought back any more a' that sake?"

Smiling broadly, Chichiri handed over the bottle.  

Dinner was relaxed.  There wasn't a great deal of conversation, but it was the comfortable silence of old friends without the underlying strain that had been present through most of the day.  They ate and drank their full with great enjoyment, the rabbit a welcome change to their diet.  Surprisingly, the bandit showed unprecedented restraint and drank his beloved sake slowly enough that he did not become intoxicated.

The sun set quietly, as if to not intrude upon their silence.  In the dusk, the magical lights of fireflies appeared unpredictably, briefly illuminating their chosen path only to disappear once more into the thick sweetness of the summer night.  All around them the night creatures celebrated.  Each sang with its own unique voice yet the sum of the wild chorus was no louder than a strong whisper.  

The moon made its appearance, hanging low and full, whispering sweet dreams to the darker, primitive side of the human psyche.  Mocking thousands of years of civilization, stripping the soul of its feeble attempts to deny the primal rhythms of winter and summer, birth and death, killing and mating.  

It was a pull the monk resisted without understanding.  A fear of his own need to possess, at first consciously cultivated and later deeply ingrained through habit, had caused him to suppress all of his animal desires, to treat them at best as necessary evils.  But the insistent tug of the moon and his own newly acknowledged feelings weakened him, wrenched his gaze from the fire to once more rest upon his companion.

Just one glance, allowing the whispers of his body to guide his thoughts and his eye across their fire to his friend, and the need he had felt his entire adult life to run away from physical contact dissipated, nothing more than a complicated screen of smoke and mirrors hiding what had never been truly banished.  Chichiri was human and always had been.  It was only natural for him to be captivated when the one he loved was so utterly entrancing.

He must have been blind in both eyes not to have seen it before: the raw, overwhelming sensuality radiating from the younger man.  The redhead's body, carelessly at rest with his back against the stump of a tree, was still so charged with kinetic energy that the mage would have sworn he could feel the excess spilling out into the night and into his own slender form, crackling up and down his spine.  

Chichiri's eye traveled slowly along the length of his companion's body.  It stopped to linger on the most obvious places, where pleasure could be given and received.  No sooner would one fantasy begin to take shape within his mind than it would be replaced by yet another, delicious images crowding each other within his thoughts.  Like a buffet set before a starving man, no single vision was more enticing than the others; all served to fuel his hunger equally.

He felt his face flush darkly, breath coming shallowly.  Everything that he was screamed at him to get closer to Tasuki but he did not know how.  It was one thing to sit in the enormous, impersonal library at Taiitskun's palace and study Suzaku's teachings on the art of lovemaking; it was another to overcome almost ten years of carefully maintained distance.  

At the very edge of his hearing, a lone wolf howled at the moon.  Chichiri felt a surge of empathy for the wild creature.  To want something that seemed so close, so badly, and not have any idea how to reach it was the loneliest fate imaginable.  The wolf was doomed; it did not have a choice, but Chichiri did.  And maybe, just maybe, if his advances were accepted and he held Tasuki in his arms, he would finally find the redemption he'd been seeking for so long.  He had failed Kouran.  It made sense now, that his spirit would not be completely healed until he found the courage to let go of his past and give himself fully to another, as he had not done before.  

It took every bit of the strength he had earned through so much pain and suffering, every last shred of his control, but he managed to stand upright on limbs that were trembling.  

Tasuki glanced upward with obvious curiosity when the mage stood, but he still said nothing.  His golden eyes dropped back down almost immediately.  It wasn't until Chichiri had moved close enough to touch him that the redhead looked up again and reacted, stiffening and pulling back slightly, taking a noticeably defensive posture.  So quickly did he move that he kicked over a mostly-full bottle of sake, leaving it to spill its remaining contents on the ground unnoticed.

The anxiety in the bandit's golden eyes was enough to put an immediate stop to the mage's advances.  Frustrating though it was, apparently Chichiri had already made some sort of mistake in his approach.  Better to back off for now and wait for the right moment; assuming he would recognize it when it came.

The monk raised his hands slightly in a pacifying gesture, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for his behavior as he took a step away from the fire seishi.

He never did have to make his excuse; his foot landed squarely on the overturned sake bottle.  It rolled beneath him and although it seemed for a few moments as though the graceful man would regain his balance, in the end he went crashing down.  Hard.  The back of his head struck one of the large stones surrounding their campfire and briefly he found himself seeing the world through a hazy shade of gray.  

It was kind of pretty, he decided, like fog, but without the wet and the cold.  Swirly, no da.

"Dammit, are you OK?  Chichiri!!"  Faster than the wind, the wing seishi flew to his friend's side.  Gently, he lifted the mage's head and checked for injuries, fingers continuing to stroke the soft sky blue hair long after it became apparent that there was no serious damage.  

"Itai…no da…."  Chichiri muttered, his vision cleared.  His pride had suffered a greater blow than his head.  

"You scared the shit outta me!"  Tasuki snapped.  

The gentle caresses ceased abruptly.  Chichiri gasped as the fire seishi gripped his face firmly, brought it to his own and kissed him, hard and quickly.  The kiss was more a reprimand than a comfort and the bandit gave him no time to respond.

The next sensation the monk became aware of was still more pain delivered to the back of his abused head when Tasuki dropped it abruptly and backed away as though he couldn't do so quickly enough.  

"Tasuki, I – "  The monk began, but stopped himself from finishing the statement when he saw the way his friend was staring at him.  

The bandit's eyes were filled with disgust.

~End Chapter 5

To Be Continued…


	6. Chapter 6

Insight

Tasuki POV

Chapter 6

By Ambika-san

Tasuki pulled away from Chichiri in shock. He had not just done that. He couldn't have. He shook his head, disgusted with himself. Hadn't he promised that he would get over this useless...whatever it was? 

"No," he said aloud, missing the pain that crossed Chichiri's face. He couldn't look Chichiri in the eye, not after what he'd done. Still shaking his head in a shell-shocked manner, he repeated, "No..." 

"Tasuki--" Chichiri began, but the fire seishi cut him off, not wanting to hear Chichiri voice the revulsion he must be feeling.

"I'm goin' ta bed. Night, Chichiri." Tasuki's voice sounded emotionless, even in his own ears. Walking to one of the bedrolls that he had laid out earlier, the bandit settled in, facing away from the fire and his companion.

Tasuki could hear Chichiri moving around their campsite for some time after he'd gone to bed. He half-feared that Chichiri would try to talk to him again, but his friend didn't say a word.

'Not my friend now,' Tasuki thought bitterly. 'He's gotta hate me...'

Tasuki couldn't sleep, so he knew when Chichiri approached the bedrolls, clearly intending to turn in for the night. He quickly closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, pretending to have fallen asleep already. Tasuki wasn't ready to talk to Chichiri yet.

There were rustling noises of cloth on cloth as Chichiri began to climb into his makeshift bed. The noises stopped abruptly after a few seconds, and Tasuki could feel the monk leaning closer to him. 

"Good night, Tasuki..." The words were said softly, but the emotion in them was impossible to miss. Tasuki lay awake, long after Chichiri's breathing evened out, wondering why Chichiri had sounded so sad.

As the sky began to pale in the east, Tasuki's tired mind finally stopped and allowed him to rest. 

Later, Tasuki awoke to see Chichiri standing a few feet away, his bedroll already on his back, his mask smiling down at the half-asleep bandit.

'At least he hasn't left yet,' Tasuki thought.

"Ohayo, no da!" Chichiri said cheerfully. "Come on, we should leave soon." Nothing in his voice or manner gave any indication that something out of the ordinary had happened between them.

Tasuki groaned and sat up, not quite ready to start his day. He stayed slumped over, his eyes mostly shut, for a few minutes before he managed to drag himself to his feet. Cursing the sunlight, Tasuki rubbed his eyes. 

"Why d' we hafta start so damn early, Chichiri?"

"Don't you want to get to the next town by nightfall, no da?" Chichiri sounded distracted, as though his mind was on something else, or somewhere else. 

Grumbling softly, Tasuki went to work packing his bedroll up so that he could carry it. 

It seemed as though Chichiri was prepared to forget what had happened the night before. Tasuki couldn't think of it as something he'd done. It had been as much of a surprise to him as it had been to the monk. He thought of it as an accident, where he was as much of a victim as the man he'd kissed. 

Tasuki stood, swinging his roll of blankets onto his back. Chichiri's mask was still smiling, but somehow the expression seemed even more hollow than it had yesterday. With a nod, the mage turned away from his friend and began to walk back towards the road. 

Tasuki watched his back for a few moments, wishing he could run up to Chichiri and say, Oi! What'sa matter?' but he knew what the answer would be, and if Chichiri wanted to forget the whole thing, Tasuki was perfectly willing to do so as well. 

At least, that's what he told himself, carefully squashing the small part of him that wanted to repeat the experience.

Sighing, the thief trudged after his companion.

The tension that had bothered Tasuki yesterday was nothing compared to the silence that was now rapidly filling the space between the two seishi. Several times Tasuki tried to end the uneasiness, but Chichiri, while answering in a perfectly friendly manner, wouldn't say more than a sentence or two to him. 

Maybe Chichiri wasn't quite ready to forget what had happened...

After a while, Tasuki gave up, walking a few paces behind Chichiri. He was uncharacteristically silent, not even complaining about the length of the journey. He was too lost in his own thoughts to notice the road he was traveling, or much of anything besides the blue-haired man he was following. 

I'm an idiot! How could I have done that? _Why_ did I do that? Chichiri hates me now!'

Tasuki's thoughts continued along this track for some time before an idea came to him. Maybe if I apologized...told him it was an accident, we could go back to how we were.'

He looked up. "Ne, Chichiri--"

"Before you ask, Tasuki-kun, we're already in the town we're going to stay in tonight, no da." Chichiri's voice held no annoyance, and his mask smiled brightly, as always.

Tasuki blinked. "Huh...?" He looked around at the village that he'd reached without knowing it.

"The inn is just over there, no da." Chichiri gestured to a large, sturdy-looking stone building. 

"Ah..." Tasuki murmured as Chichiri began to move towards the inn. "Oi! Chichiri! Wait for me!"

Tasuki caught up to Chichiri at the door. The mage walked straight over to a woman standing at the far side of the room they'd entered. Tasuki could only assume she worked at the inn. 

"Hello, Raika-san, no da." 

The woman looked up. "Oh, Chichiri-sama! You haven't been here in a while." She smiled. 

"My friend and I would like two rooms, no da."

Raika's face changed immediately. "Oh, I'm sorry, Chichiri-sama. We only have one room left." At Tasuki's worried look, she added , "It has two beds, of course."

Chichiri sighed. "Thank you. We'll take it, na no da." He passed some of their money to her.

Raika bowed. "Your room is on the second floor. Number eight."

Chichiri nodded to her, and turned towards the stairs. Tasuki followed him, wanting to set down his bedroll. 

On the second floor, Chichiri stopped in front of the first door on the left. He opened it and walked in, with Tasuki a few steps behind him. The room was moderate-sized. There was a large window set into the wall that faced west. Through it, the bandit could see the sun just beginning to dip below the horizon. There were only a few furnishings in the room. To Tasuki's relief, two of them were the promised beds. 

Chichiri set his pack down beside one of the beds, leaving Tasuki to set his by the other. The fire seishi stood by one of the walls for a few moments, but the other man didn't seem to notice him there. Shooting one last look at the reason for his recent confusion, Tasuki sighed and walked out of the room.

He wandered through the inn. It wasn't one that he was familiar with, though it seemed that Chichiri had been here before. 

It must have been before we started to travel together,' Tasuki thought. He wondered if Chichiri would come back here after their inevitable parting.

On the first floor, Tasuki found himself in a cheerful room, which, at a different time of day, would be brightly sunlit. The walls were cream-colored, and there were small wooden tables scattered around the room with no apparent pattern of placement. Many of them were occupied. He stood in the doorway for a few moments before deciding on a table in a quiet corner, near one of the windows that lined the northern wall. Almost instantly, a waitress popped out of nowhere, asking what he'd like. 

"Nothin'..." Tasuki murmured. "Um, d'ya mind if I just sit here fer a while?"

The waitress smiled, bowed and left. Tasuki turned to the window and stared at the surrounding scenery, sinking back into his previous train of thought. 

I gotta apologize ta him...' he mused. But how'm I s'posd ta do that if he's ignorin' me?'

He gave a start as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw a young man, probably not much older than himself. He had shaggy, light blue hair and startling purple eyes. 

His hair's the same color as Chichiri's," Tasuki thought.

"Hi, I'm Seiku. Um...I came over because you looked lonely, and I was alone too, and I don't like to eat alone, and...well..." The words came out in a rush, and Seiku shrugged, looking at Tasuki hopefully though his long bangs.

Tasuki smiled at him, wondering if Seiku was younger than he'd previously thought. He gestured to the seat opposite his own. "Sit down, if ya want."

Seiku's face broke into a relieved grin. He took the chair as the waitress popped up again.

"Can I get anything for you?" she asked.

"Ah, just some water..." Seiku answered. He turned to Tasuki. "Do you want anything?"

"Nah," Tasuki shook his head. 

"Oh, come on. I'll even buy it for you," Seiku wheedled.

Tasuki sighed. "Some sake then, all right?" He looked from Seiku, who smiled, to the waitress, who nodded and disappeared.

"I've told you my name. Care to return the favor?" Seiku asked, when the waitress was gone.

"Most people call me Tasuki, r Genrou," the seishi said. Seiku's eyes widened.

"You're the leader of the Mt. Reikaku bandits, aren't you!" he exclaimed. "I thought you looked familiar!"

Tasuki blinked. "I figured ya'd know me as a Celestial Warrior a' Suzaku," he paused. "Whaddaya mean, I look familiar?"

"You raided my village when I was younger." Seiku said cheerfully. It was Tasuki's turn to gape.

"Suzaku! I can't say really 'm sorry r nothin', but, well, don't ya hate me?"

Seiku shook his head, still smiling. "Nope. I mean, nobody was hurt or kidnapped, and anyway, your job's your job, right?" Looking at Tasuki, he laughed a little. "I even thought about becoming a bandit for a while." 

The waitress reappeared, carrying Tasuki's sake and Seiku's water. She set the glasses down in front of their respective consumers and disappeared once more.

"Thank you!" Seiku called after her.

Tasuki decided that he liked Seiku. He seemed cheerful, open and honest. And his hair was the same color as Chichiri's. Tasuki smacked himself mentally for his last thought. He was supposed to stop thinking about Chichiri, dammit!

"So, what are you doing here? You're pretty far from Mt. Reikaku."

"Oh, I've been travelin' with a friend a' mine," Tasuki said casually. "I might go back to the mountain soon, though."

They chatted about nothing for a while. Though he liked Seiku, Tasuki couldn't help noticing some things. Seiku wasn't as good at listening as Chichiri was. He couldn't give the same kind of advice as Chichiri. Tasuki didn't feel the odd sense of calm around Seiku that he did when he was with Chichiri. He tried to keep himself from thinking this way, but he couldn't.

Seiku was really nice, but he wasn't Chichiri. 

Nobody else was.

I'm gonna tell him I'm sorry.' Tasuki resolved. I don' wanna lose his friendship like that.' 

"Tasuki?" Seiku asked quietly.

"Huh? Sorry, I was thinkin' about somethin' else."

Seiku nodded knowingly. "You should tell your friend how you feel soon."

Shock wrote itself across Tasuki's face. "What?!"

"Well, it's obvious that you're in love with him," Seiku said, matter-of-factly. "I can tell by the way you talk about him, and how you connect nearly everything to him." 

Tasuki was still sputtering. Seiku took no notice of him. "I know what I'm talking about. If you don't tell him it'll eat at you until you do something stupid that could end up ruining your friendship."

Tasuki winced. Seiku saw it, and his eyes widened in understanding. "You already did something, didn't you?" He asked quietly. "You really need to talk to him, then, or else you'll lose him."

"Don' tell me what ta do! How could ya know, anyway?" Tasuki knew that Seiku was right, and this only served to annoy him. How could someone he'd just met know that Tasuki was in love with Chichiri when he himself hadn't realized it?

"You aren't the only one in the world to go through this, Tasuki." For the first time in their whole conversation, Seiku sounded sad. Tasuki looked up at him in surprise.

"Y'mean, you..."

"We aren't talking about me," the blue-haired boy was smiling again. "We're talking about how you're going to talk with your friend." Seiku held his hand out to Tasuki. "Promise me you'll tell him how you feel."

Tasuki looked at Seiku's outstretched hand. He knew that his new friend was right; he did love Chichiri. The thought surprised and scared him, but he knew it was true. The only way they could solve their problems was to talk. But Chichiri wouldn't talk to him, and the idea of telling Chichiri how he felt scared Tasuki more than his feelings.

Tasuki was suddenly struck by an image of Chichiri walking down an unidentified road alone, as he, Tasuki, was far off on Mt. Reikaku, trying to lead the bandits while half his heart was somewhere else.

He had to try. He couldn't lose Chichiri's friendship. Even if Chichiri would never feel anything more than that, as long as Tasuki could still see Chichiri, he could manage.

Tasuki reached out his hand and took Seiku's. "A'right, I'll talk t'him."

Seiku smiled brilliantly and brought his other hand up to clasp Tasuki's. "You'll be glad!" he said.

Under his words, Tasuki could hear the door swing open. He looked up to see a familiar figure standing in the doorway, a stricken look on his face. Pulling his hand from Seiku's, Tasuki stood, as the figure turned and fled the room.

Tasuki chased after him, calling his name.

"Chichiri!"

--------To be continued.


	7. Chapter 7

Insight

Chichiri POV

Chapter 7

by Xellas M.

Chichiri leaned against the wall, trying to come up with a single casual thing to say to Tasuki and failing. Miserably, he endured yet another tense silence rather than open his mouth and risk pushing the one he loved even farther away.

He knew their current discomfort was entirely his fault, that the redhead only wanted to forget the previous evening and continue their friendship. Somehow, though, during the past day the mage had completely forgotten how to act normally around his friend. He couldn't see past his own confusion and needed time and space to regain his mental balance. 

Eventually, Tasuki left, and still Chichiri could not say a single word to comfort him. 

The absence of the bandit's distracting ki allowed the monk to calm down enough to begin sorting through his thoughts. He kept coming back to the moment Tasuki had kissed him. At first the elder seishi had assumed the disgust that had followed was directed toward him, that the more romantically experienced man had sensed his intentions and was teasing him. But when the bandit had practically run to his things and pretended to sleep (had he been truly asleep the younger man would have been snoring loudly as usual), his behavior was oddly guilty and Chichiri couldn't help but hope that there was another explanation for Tasuki's actions. After all, it had been Tasuki who had done all the tackling and kissing and that had to mean something, didn't it? Then again, it was probable that the redhead only felt sorry for having teased him so harshly. But still…

Either way, it was past time for them to have a talk. The mage certainly wasn't looking forward to it, but he knew things could not continue the way they were.

Concentrating for a moment, he located his friend's chi. As he made his way to the common area where sake was served, he wondered why he'd bothered to look first.

* * * * *

He paused, holding the door open slightly, marveling at how easy it was to spot his friend from across the fairly crowded room. It wasn't just the brightness of his red hair that drew the eye; the bandit was more filled with life than anyone else Chichiri had ever met. It was Tasuki's nature to attract attention – even on the rare occasions when he wasn't trying.

Chichiri paused for a minute to enjoy the sight, to watch the fire seishi without fear of discovery. Depending on the outcome of their talk, this could well be his last opportunity to do so for a very long time. It was no surprise that the beautiful young man had already made a friend in the strange place. The mage complimented the stranger mentally on his taste; his hair was a *very* cool shade of sky blue, no da. 

However, as the conversation wore on, the smile on Chichiri's mask began to slip. He was much too far away to hear what was being said, but the body language between the two definitely did not resemble that of new acquaintances. The shaggy blue-haired man was too interested, too involved in the conversation. And whatever he was saying to Tasuki, it was clearly agitating the bandit. 

It was not at all uncommon during their travels for the beautiful redhead to attract the attentions of both men and women. Normally, the fire seishi simply laughed it off as a joke and bought the interested party a friendly drink, but this time seemed to be different. It was as though the bandit did not have it in him to smile. If that was the case, it was entirely Chichiri's fault. When the stranger held out his hand with a look of self-satisfied expectation and Tasuki's shoulders slumped, the monk could not take any more. 

He threw the door open, ready to rush to the bandit's defense, only to find that not only had the fire seishi accepted the touch, but that the other man had taken the redhead's hand in both of his. It was about the most intimate embrace two men could get away with in public. Tasuki jumped a little in surprise at having been caught and a blush stained his face.

Beneath the mask, Chichiri's single good eye narrowed as the image burned through his mind, searing through his hurt, hope and confusion to feed the ugly, dark place deep inside him. Just last night, the bandit had given him his first kiss. Now, not even two hours in town, and the monk had already been replaced by a complete stranger, one with two eyes and a remarkably bright smile. A real smile.

One by one, Chichiri felt his mental restraints crumble and shatter until only fear held him in check.

It made sense now that he had been able to travel with Tasuki for so long without being aware of the nature of his feelings. He must have known, on some level, that none of his training or meditation had completely overcome his jealous nature. He was still the same man who was responsible for the deaths of his best friend, his fiancée and their entire village. Opening himself to love again had also made him unable to continue fully suppressing his darker emotions.

Desperately, with only a fingernail's grip on his precious control, he turned and fled the room while he still could. He dimly heard Tasuki chasing him, calling his name. He tried his hardest to ignore the bandit, terrified beyond words that he would do something unspeakable and never again see his beloved's perfect face. 

When Tasuki continued to follow him, he stopped. He had no choice. Logic reminded the mage that the redhead was much, much faster than he was and also that Tasuki was not the type to give up. If Chichiri tried to avoid this confrontation, the younger man would force it, and Suzaku only knew what would happen then.

The normally peaceful man swore and turned back. He ripped the mask from his face, fully aware that he was surrounded by a glowing battle aura that even the bandit would be able to see. 

Tasuki stopped his pursuit and paled at the sight. Nevertheless, he swallowed and began to speak. "'Chiri, we need ta talk."

"Not. Now. Tasuki." The monk spat from between clenched teeth. He felt as though his rage was trying to claw its way up his spine and out of his body with an icy grasp that scorched everything it touched.

"It's not what you think." The bandit protested, but it was weak. Uncertainty shadowed his naturally bright conviction.

Tasuki stood before him, open and vulnerable, his clear eyes burning with something so pure it defied description. In that instant Chichiri felt as though his heart had been ripped from his chest. Unfortunately, in his current state he was too far gone to distinguish good pain from bad and his friend's words only made him want to be cruel, to hurt the bandit as badly as he was being hurt. 

There was next to nothing coherent left in the mage's mind, and he startled himself with the coldness of his reply. "Tasuki. I am going. Don't try to follow me." 

Without daring to see whether the bandit listened, the monk resumed his flight back to their room. Upon reaching the sanctuary, he paused only long enough to grab his kasa and staff. Immediately he teleported to the first place that sprang to mind, an abandoned stone quarry he and Tasuki had passed a couple days previously.

* * * * *

The place was completely empty. There was nothing but dead gray stone on all sides; the unnaturally sharp edges of hewn rock were the only indication that life of any type had ever had anything to do with this place. A watermark several feet above Chichiri's head was proof that during the rainy season the quarry went from forbidding to outright deadly.

Chichiri threw his head back and shrieked, his anger ricocheting off uncaring rock walls, throwing itself back at him even though he had not yet stopped. No matter how loudly he yelled, the emptiness in his lungs did nothing to alleviate the overwhelming pressure of repressed emotion finally exploding. Panting slightly, he brought his hands to his chest. 

He had tried so hard to do everything right. Why the hell did everyone expect him to be perfect? Tasuki should have known better. He knew about the monk's past, knew what kind of person Chichiri *really* was. And still the redhead had led him on, had allowed him to believe he had a chance. 

A gesture, and energy was pulled from his being, forming a ball of light that burned so hot it was blue-white. Another cry left his lips, channeling the focused energy towards solid rock and causing an explosion every bit as large as the one that had destroyed one of the strange buildings in Miaka's world. Dust and debris rained down upon the monk's head, scraping his skin before he cast a shield. 

And still it wasn't enough. It didn't even come close. Hands now dirty and bleeding from several minor scratches moved again into position, as if attempting to physically pull out and throw away every last bit of passion and anger within the monk's soul. 

* * * * *

The sun rose over the now gentle slope of what had been a sheer quarry wall two days previously, waking Chichiri from a restless sleep. Exhausted and chilled through, the mage wrapped his dirty kesa more snugly around his body and slowly rose to greet the day. 

He surveyed the wreckage of the area in shamed silence. After his initial outburst, he had replayed the past few days in his thoughts, cursing the both attractive stranger and Tasuki, but mostly hating himself for his own expectations and hope. He of all people should have known better than to want someone like that again. 

Remembrance of his childhood love and his horrible mistake had caught up with him many times, merging with the present. When it all became too much, he would stand again and take out his frustration on his surroundings, ultimately resulting in the absolute desolation surrounding him now.

His calm finally restored but too drained to teleport, he began carefully making his way out of the ruined area. First, he would rest and get cleaned up, and then he would go to Tasuki and apologize. A bitter smile graced Chichiri's scarred face. It was a small comfort that at least Tasuki wasn't there to see him like this.

After a difficult climb, the mage finally pulled himself onto a small grassy area between the quarry and the road. He waited for a moment, resting, until a familiar tingling sensation sent an ache through his chest. It was moving quickly, far too quickly for the monk to hide in time. He spent the precious few moments available to him forcing a small but friendly smile to his lips.

He closed his eye, not wanting to see Tasuki's reaction to his current state. When his friend's ki stopped not more than an arm's length away, he forced himself to look in his beloved's eyes as he managed a quiet greeting.

"Tasuki."

* * * * *

~End Chapter 7

To be Continued...


	8. Chapter 8

Insight

Tasuki POV

Chapter 8

By Ambika-san

"Dammit!" Tasuki growled as he jumped up from the table, ignoring Seiku's surprised exclamation. He pushed the door open in time to see Chichiri stop and turn around, ripping off his mask. The mage was literally glowing with barely-suppressed fury. Tasuki swallowed hard at the sight, but walked toward his friend anyway. 

"'Chiri, we gotta talk."

"Not. Now. Tasuki." The monk forced out. Tasuki had never seen Chichiri in this state before. He didn't understand why Chichiri was so angry about what Seiku had done. He knew what it must have looked like, but if Chichiri was angry about that, then that would mean...that would mean that he returned Tasuki's feelings, and that wasn't possible.

"It ain't what ya think..." Tasuki tried to explain, but he didn't know how to continue. What _did_ Chichiri think?

Chichiri's expression was frighteningly cold. "Tasuki. I am going. Don't try to follow me." He whirled and stalked away, leaving Tasuki staring after him in shock. 

A slip of paper fluttered to the floor where he had been standing.

Almost without thinking, Tasuki stooped and retrieved it. His gaze shifted, and he studied the smiling mask that now rested in his hands. It wasn't very large. It wasn't very strong. How could it conceal so much?

Rage welled up within Tasuki. He wrenched his hands apart and listened with satisfaction to the loud tearing sound produced as the mask ripped. But then, suddenly, it wasn't enough. 

I don' want him ta hide anymore.' 

__

Riip. 

I love him. All a' him.' 

__

Rip. 

Even when he's sad.' 

__

Rip.

Even when he's angry.' 

__

Rip. 

Even if he hates me...' 

Tasuki realized that there was nothing left to tear. The mask lay in shreds around him. 

He stood, letting the bits of paper that had rested on his legs settle to the floor. "Don' try ta follow ya?" he laughed bitterly. "I'm not gonna let ya hide from me anymore!"

Lessee...He musta teleported by now...' Tasuki reasoned. How th' hell'm I s'posed ta find im?'

There was always the chance that Chichiri hadn't gone yet...Tasuki raced for the stairs, knowing it was hopeless. Sure enough, when he threw open the door to their room, it was empty. The only thing to show that Chichiri had ever been there was an ordinary-looking straw hat that rested in the middle of the floor. Tasuki picked it up, knowing better than to try to follow Chichiri through it. The spell Chichiri used on the hat was brought to completion when the monk stepped through it. 

Tasuki slipped the knotted strings of the hat over his head, so that it lay against his back. And then, lost in thought, he turned and walked back the way he'd come. 

He entered the common room and leaned against a wall, trying not to attract any attention. How could he find Chichiri? 

Chichiri always tracked people through their ki...'Maybe I could do that?' Tasuki thought. But how th'hell d'ya find somebody's life force?' 

He tried it, focusing hard on everything that he associated with Chichiri. Fresh air, sunlight, the jingling of his staff on the road...nothing. The way he looked in firelight, shadows painting his face, the way he smiled softly as he stared into the flames, the utter peace that seemed to radiate from him when he was content...still nothing. "I don' know th' first thing about how ta do this..." Tasuki mumbled. 

"There's gotta be somethin' else I c'n do" Tasuki let his head fall back against the wall with a _thump_. "Suzaku! Why does this hafta be so hard?"

He froze. Suzaku...' He'd tried everything else. Surely a prayer couldn't hurt? He was a celestial warrior, after all...maybe Suzaku would help him.

"Suzaku," He murmured. "I don' usually do this, but I'm hopin' yer listenin' right now, cause a friend a' mine needs help. He's hurtin' real bad, an' I think it's my fault. I dunno where he is, though. Please help me, Suzaku. I gotta find him."

The bandit finished praying, wondering what he should do next. How would he know when Suzaku answered his prayer, or even if it had been answered? This was Chichiri's department, not his...

A few hours and a ridiculously small amount of sake later, Tasuki looked up, startled, as the door to the door banged open. A youngish man stood in the doorway. He was breathing hard, leaning on the frame of the door for support. He took a deep breath. One of the waitresses appeared in front of him. "Are you all right, sir?"

The man nodded, still out of breath. A few minutes later, he had managed to recover himself a bit. "I've been running, that's all. I was sent to carry the news as far and as fast as I could, and my horse hurt its leg a mile or so back."

"What news is that?" the waitress asked.

"There're _explosions_ coming from an abandoned quarry a few days' walk from here. Nobody wants to go and see what it is. They all seem to think it's a demon. I have to say, I agree with them. These explosions are_ huge_. Most of the people in the nearby town are leaving."

Tasuki's eyes widened. Explosions? Huge explosions...?' A rapid sequence of thoughts connected themselves in his brain. "Chichiri!" he cried. What else could it be?

Thank you, Suzaku...' He ran, using all of the speed he could summon. Several of the patrons of the inn looked around in surprise, wondering how a person could just disappear that way. 

Later, Tasuki would never be able to say how he knew which way to go. Maybe he was better at sensing ki than he'd thought. 

While he was running, he was lost to the world around him. Time seemed to stand still, and he didn't know how long he traveled for. When he finally stopped, worn out, the sky was dark above him. He spent a restless night out under the stars.

The next day, his pace had slowed a bit. For all his gift of speed, Tasuki wasn't used to running for days at a time, and he was going on only a few hours of sleep. He hadn't eaten anything since the day before, either. In his haste to get to Chichiri, Tasuki had forgotten to take anything with him.

That day, he passed though a town. The streets were silent, and the windows of the houses were all dark. No birds sang. 

__

"Most of the people in the nearby town are leaving..." 

Tasuki smiled grimly. He had to be close. He hurried through the deserted village, stopping only once to take food from a shop. 

On his way out, he paused, reached into his pocket and drew out a small pouch. Laughing softly to himself, he placed a few coins on the countertop. "Look at me. A bandit who pays, even though there ain't anyone ta pay..."

He ate the bread and dried fruit as he walked, still not questioning the sense that was telling him which direction to go.

At the outskirts of the town, the road moved in a straight line for a time, then curved lazily around a grassy field before disappearing into a stand of evergreens. The field was at the edge of a quarry that had been abandoned for years. 

Tasuki crossed out of the last cluster of houses just in time to see a figure struggling up onto the grassy stretch at the edge of the road. He was too far away to make out any distinguishing features, but he sped up. Even if the person wasn't Chichiri, maybe he or she had seen him...

As he got closer, Tasuki could see that it was indeed Chichiri sitting in the long grass. Tasuki moved faster, only to stop in shock an arm's length from Chichiri. Chichiri's eye was closed and there was a small, peaceful smile on his face. But that wasn't what made Tasuki's eyes widen in surprise and worry.

The monk was covered in dust and scratches. A few of the worst cuts were still bleeding slowly. 

Chichiri opened his eye. "Tasuki."

Tasuki stepped toward his friend. "Gods, Chiri..." He reached out and brushed away some of the dirt smudging Chichiri's cheek. The mage flinched at the touch, and Tasuki's heart contracted. He pulled his hand away, staring at the ground.

"Sorry." He murmured. He sat down facing Chichiri.

"You shouldn't apologize. You didn't do anything." Chichiri's voice sounded flat. "I shouldn't have left like that, but I needed to get myself under control." 

"Why...um...why'd ya get so mad? I mean, ya don' have ta tell me, I'd jus' like ta know so I don' do it again. If it was me, that is, cause it mighta been somethin' else entirely..." Tasuki trailed off, feeling foolish. He didn't know what to say. Whenever he ran out of the right words, improper ones rushed in to take their place, and Tasuki ended up saying things that made him wince.

"It was nothing, no da." Chichiri brushed off Tasuki's babbling easily, however, he didn't meet the bandit's eyes.

"The hell it was." Tasuki replied evenly. "If ya don' wanna tell me, that's fine, just say so. Don' lie ta me." 

Chichiri was silent, his cheeks slightly flushed.

"I just wanna know cause I think it's got somethin' ta do with me. I don' wanna do anythin' like that again."

"That man you were sitting with...Who is he?" Chichiri's voice was too calm.

Tasuki hadn't expected that. "Ah, I dunno, really. All I know is his name, an' that he's good at guessin' stuff. Name's Seiku."

"He looked nice." Chichiri murmured.

"Um, yeah, he was, I guess." Tasuki was on his way to being well and truly baffled. How had Seiku come into this?

"What were the two of you talking about?"

Tasuki willed himself not to blush. "It was nothing." 

Chichiri raised his eyebrows at Tasuki. "The hell it was, no da." 

Tasuki grinned. "A'right, I'll tell ya what we were talkin' about if ya tell me why ya got so mad." He thought of his promise to Seiku, and realized that whether he was ready or not, that promise would probably be fulfilled soon.

Chichiri sighed, but nodded. "All right...you first."

"Umm..." Tasuki looked away from Chichiri. "We were jus' talkin' about somethin' I needed ta do. I promised him I'd do it, an' then you came in..." Sorry, Seiku...'

"What did you promise him you'd do, no da?"

"Uh-uh...ya gotta tell me why ya were mad first."

"No, I don't think I do, na no da. After all, you haven't fully answered my question."

Tasuki chewed on his lip. "A'right. I'll tell ya what I promised, but ya gotta listen an' not freak out at me, okay?"

Chichiri nodded.

"Actually, we were talkin' about random stuff fer most a' th' time, but then..." Tasuki paused, wondering how to say what came next. "Well, he made a guess abou' somethin' from what I'd said, an' he was right. So I promised him I'd do somethin' about it." Tasuki swallowed hard.

"An' I'm gonna keep my promise. Right now."

Tasuki was blushing by this time, and he was nearly shaking with nerves, but he couldn't stop now. If he tried, he'd never forgive himself. 

Moving closer to Chichiri, he leaned and placed a soft kiss on the monk's forehead. He knew he had the right words. 

"I love ya, Chiri."

*****

~End Chapter 8

To Be Continued...


	9. Chapter 9

**Insight**

Chapter 9 

by Xellas M. 

"I love ya, Chiri." 

The only reality is in a moment and only within reality can infinity be found. 

This moment, in which the ghost of Tasuki's lips lingered on Chichiri's forehead and his soul greedily devoured the words the fire seishi had spoken, stretched beyond the stars. The unexpected but very welcome revelation left the monk dazed. Sensations and emotions bombarded him, each distinct from the others, each part of the whole. He struggled to find himself within this new, measureless world where his brightest hopes were a gift that had been handed to him freely. 

Chichiri was thirsty, having finished the last of the water from his tiny hip flask the previous night. His body was exhausted and every single scratch he bore gave him the tiniest whisper of pain. His kesa was bunched up uncomfortably; he could smell his own dirt and exertion. He was ashamed also, of both his disheveled appearance and the temper that had caused it. 

The bandit looked almost as tired and uncomfortable as Chichiri felt. Bright golden eyes stood out against dark circles left by sleeplessness and worry. The faint freckles that Chichiri had come to love were hidden behind the bandit's deep blush. And the way the younger man was standing…the mage had seen it before. Tasuki would never back down or run away from anything important no matter what price he ended up paying for it. He was braced against such a reckoning now, expecting to suffer for what he'd said, what he felt, although he would probably die before taking it back. 

The day the monk had first understood his feelings for his friend, he had lifted his face to the sun. He had felt its warmth on his face and been deeply grateful for the gift of life that allowed him the simple pleasure. Now his heart was warmed as though by a thousand suns. Chichiri had been given so much in his life: a carefree childhood with wonderful friends and a loving family; men of wisdom who had pulled him out of the river he'd thrown himself into after his betrayal, who had taught him that all life was precious, even his own; later, the privilege of fighting beside his fellow seishi, dear friends who had all suffered greatly but refused to give up hope. Now he had been given Tasuki's love. It was more than any one man deserved. 

Then the moment was over, although it never would truly end. He would carry it with him in all its beauty and imperfection long after the veil of illusion had been cast aside and he was at one with the universe. 

"Tasuki, I –" 

"Nuh-huh. Ya promised ta tell me why ya got so mad." His jaw set, the redhead glared at him defiantly. 

"But, Tasuki –" 

"AND ya promised not to freak out neither. Now ya don't get ta say a damn thing 'till ya answer my question!" 

Chichiri shrugged. It was no use arguing with Tasuki when he decided to be stubborn about something. The younger man would figure it out when he heard the answer anyway. And he did have the right to know the reason for the mage's disappearance before things went any further, even though Chichiri understood his friend well enough to know he would be forgiven. 

"Alright, no da. Only, could I have a drink of water first, na no da?" The thought of having a drink made his stomach grumble in discontent. It wanted something much more substantial than water. The monk had eaten nothing at all the day before, and very little the day before that. 

Tasuki's expression went immediately from challenging to concerned. His blush, never quite fully faded from his confession, returned in full. 

"Shit, I'm so sorry, I shoulda noticed. You're hurt an' all an' ya need ta get some rest." 

A strong hand pushed down on his shoulder and before he knew it, he was sitting comfortably in the grass while Tasuki dug food and water from his small pack. 

"Tasuki-kun no da, I told you it was nothing, no da. You shouldn't worry." 

The fire seishi ignored him, shoving a mostly-full canteen of water into his hands. When he did not start drinking quickly enough for the bandit's liking, Tasuki lifted the container, which the monk was still gripping, all the way to his mouth. There was nothing for it but to part his lips and let the cool water refresh him. 

It was sweet, being cared for like this. He released his hold on the canteen, placing his hands over his friend's, brushing his thumb lightly across the younger man's wrist in thanks. Tasuki trembled at the touch but did not let go until the monk had finished. 

Tasuki nodded in approval when Chichiri began breaking of chunks of bread and eating them slowly, though he did not look his friend in the eye. "Now…why were ya so mad at me? I need ta know…" 

"It wasn't anything you did, Tasuki. I was angry with myself. I couldn't stand the thought of hurting anyone. I'm very, very sorry I left you like that." The mage began, watching his friend's reaction carefully. He paused to take another bite of the delicious, fresh bread before continuing. It was the best thing he'd tasted in a long while and life-changing conversation or not, his body wanted to be fed. 

"That's not an answer, dammit! Why the hell would ya be mad at yourself? It's not 'cause of the way I feel about ya, is it?" As always, the bandit's impatience had him rushing in headfirst, although Chichiri certainly wasn't in a position to criticize after the mistaken conclusions he had drawn upon seeing his friend talking to Seiku. 

The mage swallowed his bite, and then smiled. The entire situation was fairly ironic. At some point, in the future, it would probably even seem funny. "No, Tasuki. I was angry with myself because I was jealous. I thought you and Seiku were…" Here he trailed off. His brief flash of amusement had faded. It had been even harder to tell Tasuki the truth than he'd expected. 

Tasuki sat perfectly still, frozen in shock, mouth open. To see the redhead in such a state was a once-in-a-lifetime event. It reminded Chichiri of the strange thing called a camera that Miaka had brought from her world. He desperately wished he had one now. The combination of the silly idea and his friend's silence gave the mage the strength he needed to continue. 

"I know now that I was wrong about that and I'm sorry. I should've listened to you when you stopped me in the hallway. I just couldn't get the image of him kissing you out of my head. I didn't think you'd ever want to kiss me again, after the other night. 

"I was angry at myself for feeling that way. I should have learned my lesson." 

Chichiri let out a sigh. Talking about his own feelings was acutely uncomfortable; he was accustomed to comforting others, not baring his own soul. And he wasn't quite finished yet. 

By now, the redhead had recovered from his shock. He leapt up and raced to the edge of what had once been a deep quarry and pointed at it accusingly. 

"You're tellin' me ya did all THIS because ya were jealous? Of ME?" 

Chichiri blushed, mortified. "Yes." 

"That's so fuckin' COOL!" 

Before the monk could summon any kind of argument, he found his arms full of an excitable and very happy bandit. 

"Does that mean?" Tasuki asked, his voice muffled against Chichiri's shoulder. It wasn't a full question but its meaning was clear. 

"Yes, Tasuki, I love you too." 

*******************

~End Chapter 9


	10. Chapter 10

Insight

Chapter10

Tasuki POV

By Ambika-san

"I love you, too, no da."

At Chichiri's words, Tasuki hugged him even closer, if that was possible. He could feel Chichiri smiling against the top of his head.

"Can...C'n we stay like this fer a while?" Tasuki's voice was muffled by Chichiri's shoulder. "I don' wanna move..."

"Aa." Chichiri replied softly.

After an indeterminate length of time had passed in drowsy sweetness, Tasuki reluctantly straightened. He sighed.

"I guess we better get goin' back ta th' inn."

"Back to the inn, no da...?"

Tasuki grinned sheepishly. "Well, I kinda wanted ta thank Seiku."

Chichiri nodded. "I see, na no da. But why do we have to leave now?"

"Well, it's a pretty long walk, and I sure ain't runnin' th' whole way this time..."

"You ran all the way here? Because of me?"

Tasuki looked at the ground, rubbing the back of his neck as he mumbled something to the grass.

Chichiri smiled. He stood, and then reached down to help the bandit to his feet. Brushing aside a few stray flame-colored strands, the monk leaned and pressed his lips to Tasuki's forehead.

"There, now we're even, no da."

Tasuki grinned as Chichiri stepped away and began walking.

"Are you coming, no da? It was your idea to leave in the first place..."

"Un." Tasuki caught up to Chichiri and threaded his fingers through the monk's, causing the older man to smile.

"Ne, 'Chiri, where're we gonna go after this?"

"I don't have anything planned, no da. Was there somewhere you wanted to go?"

"Well, I was thinkin' that we ain't been ta see Kouji an' the guys fer a while..."

Chichiri nodded. "You're right. Let's go to Mt. Reikaku after we find Seiku, no da."

They walked a few paces in silence, and then Tasuki spoke.

"Ya know, um, it's gonna take us a while to walk to the inn..."

"Yes, it will, no da."

"And we dunno how long Seiku's gonna be stayin' there..."

"That's true, no da..."

"So maybe it'd be better if ya just teleported us there?"

Chichiri laughed. "I was wondering when you'd ask, no da."

Tasuki blinked. "Ya mean..."

"I guess it's all right, just this once, na no da." The mage smiled. "Just don't get used to it."

Tasuki grinned as he watched Chichiri prepare the spell for their transportation. _'I knew he'd give in one day...'_

With a final "No da!", Chichiri struck his staff against his kesa, which he had spread on the ground. The dirt-smudged cloak seemed to ripple out from the point that had been struck, smoothing out into a glowing whiteness.

The blue-haired seishi gestured to the glow. "After you, no da!"

Tasuki stepped into the spell, and began to sink through immediately. As soon as the last of his wild red hair had disappeared, Chichiri stepped through as well.

Tasuki was pleasantly surprised when he ended up standing next to the inn where they had stayed two nights before, instead of in the tree next to it. When Chichiri appeared beside him a few seconds later, Tasuki turned to him.

"Ya been practicin'? Yer landings're gettin' better."

"Well, I couldn't listen to you complain forever, now could I, no da?"

"Hey!" Tasuki mock-glared at him. "Geez, ya try ta give a guy a compliment..."

Chichiri laughed. "Come on, no da..." He grabbed the younger man's hand and led him into the building.

Once again, as soon as he got inside, Chichiri headed toward Raika's corner.

'Does she spend all day there, or what?' Tasuki wondered.

Raika looked up as they approached. "Chichiri-sama, are you all right?" she eyed the scratches and bruises that were still visible, though no longr bleeding.

"I'm fine, no da. These are nothing too serious."

Raika looked a little skeptical, but moved past the subject. "I didn't know you'd be returning," she said, sounding worried. "I'm afraid I gave your room away."

"That's all right, Raika-san. We really only returned because we wanted to know if a certain guest was still here, no da."

"Oh? Who are you looking for?"

"A man named Seiku, no da." Chichiri said. "Do you know him?"

"Seiku..." Raika's forehead wrinkled in thought. "Oh! You mean the young man with the blue

hair?" At Chichiri's nod, she continued. "Yes, he's still here."

Tasuki stepped forward. "D'ya have any idea where he is?"

"I think he was about to leave. He may come through here soon."

As if on cue, the door across the room opened, and a familiar figure walked in. He had a rucksack slung over his shoulder, and did, indeed, look as though he was about to leave. He looked up, and purple eyes widened as he caught sight of Tasuki.

"Genrou?"

"Seiku!" Tasuki grinned.

Seiku rushed over. "And you must be Chichiri...Say, are you okay? You look a little...scruffled."

Chichiri blinked. "Scruffled, no da? Is that a word?"

Seiku thought for a moment. "I dunno..." He brightened again. "Y'know, Genrou wouldn't stop talking about you..."

Tasuki blushed, and Chichiri smiled. Seiku walked around them, studying the couple. When he stood in front of them again, he reached out and dusted a bit of dirt off Chichiri's shoulder. Then he grinned. "I approve!"

It was Tasuki's turn to blink.

Seiku turned to Chichiri. "You have my permission to date Genrou."

Chichiri turned pink.

"Sei_ku_...." Tasuki groaned.

Seiku tilted his head to one side. "What, you didn't tell him yet?"

"No, I did--"

Seiku looked distressed. "Then, he doesn't feel the same way?"

"No, he does--"

"Oh, good! I'm happy for you!" The now-grinning purple-eyed man promptly glomped Tasuki.

"Ack!" Tasuki flailed his arms, trying to stay upright. Failing, he toppled over backwards.

"Seiku....!" he growled.

The owner of the name bounced up happily. He extended a hand to help Tasuki up. "Aw, I was just kidding around." His face grew more serious. "I didn't expect to see you again. What brings you back here?"

"Ah...actually, I wanted ta thank ya," Tasuki accepted Seiku's help, and the shorter man pulled Tasuki to his feet. "If I hadn't talked t'you, I mighta never said anythin' ta 'Chiri..."

Seiku grinned. "Always glad to help."

"So, where are you going now, Seiku? If we're heading in the same direction, we'd be happy to travel with you, no da."

Tasuki nodded his agreement.

"Actually, I wasn't really sure where I was headed. Where are the two of you off to?"

"We're goin' ta Mt. Reikaku. Been too long since we seen th' guys."

Seiku's eyes widened. He was silent for a moment, staring at the floor, and then he looked up at Tasuki and Chichiri. "Um, this might sound a little weird, but..." Seiku swallowed.

"Could I go with you?"

---To be continued.


End file.
